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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470510">The Vision</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/seleenermparis/pseuds/seleenermparis'>seleenermparis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, New Years, Rituals, Shakarian Forever, Vision - Freeform, arranged marriage ish, no I haven't switched pairings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:07:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,373</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470510</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/seleenermparis/pseuds/seleenermparis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"On the new year following their 22nd year, the same amount of days you shall receive to see through the eyes of the one who will hold you dear." Rating may change. Specific scenes have not been plotted for all the chapters yet. Don't worry, my fellow Shakarians. I didn't jump ships. I promise.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. New Years Eve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The AO3 prompt which prompted this story:</p><p>Exactly at midnight on New Years Eve, following their 22nd birthday, they posses the body of their soulmate and people run around, trying to figure out who they are so they could find each other and left notes for their body's owner to find them. And some would have language gaps, so people have to translate it and travel to different countries, carrying the notes they were given.</p><p>Also, there is a reference to Miceenscene's Son of Palaven, Daughter of Earth*. If you have lived under a rock, and you haven't read it yet, PLEASE DO. It's an excellent story. It's one of my favorites in the fandom, I have to be honest. I used the phrase "Son of Palaven". Not sure if it's original to her or not, but wanted to make sure if it was, proper credit was given to her. Also, it's just a really epic story. Read it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>Image by ChimeraArts.</p><p>It was a gift for me for Christmas. I love it. I wanted to show you her talent. Last time I talked to her, she was taking commissions.</p><p>For another example of her work, please see "Babylon" in my Storm Singer series.</p><p> </p><p>"Come on, Jane. This party is going to be one for the books." Kaidan Alenko pulled on Shepard's arm and she groaned in response. "We have two days leave and I'm not going to spend the Galactic Standard New Year's Eve here on base. I'm not going to spend it writing reports for Anderson or Hackett like last year, or at least all of it."</p><p>"Kaidan, this can't wait."</p><p>"Bullshit and you know it. You stayed in last year and the year before that and when you legally could start drinking. Come on. You're 24 years old and deserve to get smashed at least once a year."</p><p>"You just want to be sure you get kissed at midnight." A flirtatious smile crossed her face a she rounded her desk. She chuckled and went into his arms.</p><p>"And what if I do?" He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Is that so bad?" </p><p>"Not really." She placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "Alright, but only just to midnight. I really have to get that report in once leave is over."</p><p>"Yes!" He exclaimed as he swerved around him to get to her closet. He frowned at the few piece of civilian pieces of clothing she owned. Sure, she'd been raised on military ships and stations her entire life and saw the practicality of only having uniforms. However, he figured she'd at least she'd have a dress and a pair of heals. When he only saw a couple pairs of jeans and a few casual t-shirts, he was disappointed. "Come on, Jane. We've got to go. You can wear your casuals. They'll probably hand out military discounts anyway."</p><p>"If you say so." She turned to the door and bundled up in very heavy Alliance approved navy blue pea coat and beret. Then, the duo headed out into the cold, Chicago winter night.</p><p>The sub-zero temperatures froze the two non-locals to the bone. If it had chilled the locals, they weren't showing it. Weaving around the long line, the tall piles of white snow crunched under their feet until they were in front. The crowd grumbled as the male lieutenant presented the entry tickets he obviously had purchased in advance. Once the bouncer cleared them for entry, "you planned this, didn't you?"</p><p>"More like hoped." Kaidan opened the door and held it for her to allow her to enter first. </p><p>The bass of the electro-trance music pounded and vibrated the building. Jane briefly wondered if she should have packed her sound dampeners from her gear and why no one in the club was suddenly deaf. The duo weaved through the thick crowd to the bar. </p><p>"Dextro or levo?" The bartender, a young Asari asked. It was still unusual to see the exotic races on the Human homeworld, but with space and the relays opening; it was becoming more and more frequent. "I know, I know. You're levo and this is your homeworld, but management is demanding we ask everyone and use handstamps."</p><p>"We know the feeling." Kaidan yelled over the music. "We're in the Alliance Navy."</p><p>"I can tell. She's wearing her uniform" The cobalt blue woman winked. She took their order and mixed their drinks. When Jalifeir returned, she handed them their drinks. "These are on the house."</p><p>"Thanks!" They said in almost unison. </p><p>Sipping on her Piña colada, Jane took a moment to look out at the crowd. The dance floor was especially cramped, but the mass of beings from a sampling of backgrounds grinded against one another in a way that made it look like it was a giant wave of people. </p><p>"Want a go?" Kaidan offered. "All I ask is that you don't break my foot. Not like last time."</p><p>"I didn't break your foot." She smiled, impishly. "I broke your toes."</p><p>He laughed. "That's not your foot?"</p><p>"No!" She chuckled, "of course not."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Garrus frowned as he disgruntledly waited in line for the frivolous ceremony to begin.  His parents (well, mostly his mother) insisted he'd attend this vision ceremony. He grumbled, "I'm not sure why I agreed to this."</p><p>"Mostly because mom told you to?" His twin sister, Solana, offered. "Oh, come on. Aren't you even remotely curious? It's not like this isn't a once in a lifetime thing or anything."</p><p>"It's outdated."</p><p>"It's tradition." His little sister played the trump card that his mother used to convince him to do this in the first place. It was his obligation to his parents to ensure the continuation of the family line. </p><p>The ancient rite called Amor Vincit Omnia was a way to communicate with the spirits to find out the future bond mates in Turian Society. Once the vision quest was complete, negotiations for bonding rites would be made. The Hierarchy made the lines of succession clear, but the dowries and ceremony planning were left to the families' discretion. A son of Palaven's * dowry could be quite deep. Often it involved down payments on large purchases such as a house. However, it'd be the daughters' of Palaven whose honor uplifted the family's standing. </p><p>It may be a tradition, but it didn't mean he had to like it. To Garrus, it was dated and demeaning. It was one he could happily live without, but duty called. </p><p>Once inside, the Vakarians were met by a petite (that is for a Turian), female wearing purple robes. She walked elegantly over to them. "Ah, yes. The Vakarian twins. Do come in. They're waiting for you."</p><p>The priestess lead them into a darkened room, lit by a large, glowing orb. The stopped right before the strange device; gazing at the swirling mists inside of it. Garrus swore he saw shapes and images inside of it, but that had to be a trick of his imagination, right? The room was mostly lit by candle light of what appeared to be homemade candles. The earthy incense wafted smoke over to where they stood from the large burners surrounding the pillared sacred space. </p><p>"It's fitting you two should enter this temple together. Spirits know you share everything together. Even the time you spent in your mother's womb." An ancient male Turian appeared from the darkness almost as if he apparated into a physical form.  His cobalt blue robes matched his markings. A pattern which was mirrored on the twin's own faces. The garment was wrapped around him in a fine linen trimmed in silver. It wasn't typical garments of the temple. It indicated a higher status. </p><p>"Who are you?" Garrus questioned, crossing his arms across his chest. It pulled the white ceremonial tunic he was wearing tighter across his chest. </p><p>"Spirits, Garrus! Were you even remotely listening to mom? This is Torak, the high priest. You were at least paying somewhat attention when dad mentioned he pulled a few strings for him to be the one who performs the ceremony, right?" Solana hissed at her brother in a whisper. </p><p>"Right." The young, male Turian wasn't at all impressed.</p><p>"I take it you don't believe, young Vakarian."</p><p>"I just think somethings should be a choice. However, you don't get choices when it comes to this bonding arrangement ceremony. You cannot choose who you love."</p><p>"You don't think you have any choices when it comes to this?"</p><p>"No I don't. You don't think this ceremony is dated an unnecessary? I don't get a choice about my bond mate so no. I don't get choices with this."</p><p>"And you really don't think you have choices when it comes to this? To love them or not? Love requires choice. To love someone regardless of who they are is a choice. To choose to love someone when you are angry with them is a choice. To love someone when they are at their worst is a choice. One could very well leave you and that is a choice. You have a choice of how and where you express your love. My dear boy, love isn't just about hormones. What you do with them; however,  is a choice. You can find someone on the street, young Vakarian, and be attracted to them. But, you choose to discover if there is more than just that when you choose to approach them to court them."</p><p>"Alright, fine." He rolled his eyes. "Let's just get this over with."  </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ceremony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>With the heat in the club rising to intolerable levels, Shepard exited the club with Kaidan in tow. He shivered as he buttoned his pea coat back up, "Ugh, I'm never going to get use to this."</p><p>"Consider it training for places like Noveria." Jane offered a the duo headed to the nearest coffee shop, around the corner. She clutched her coat closer to her. </p><p>"Sure. We'll go with that." He shivered again. "Remind me to request to be posted somewhere warm."</p><p>"Which means they absolutely will send you to Noveria." Jane laughed. "That's how the Alliance works. I've seen it happen many times."</p><p>He chuckled as they entered the the coffee shop. Once they received their drinks, they returned outside. Somehow they ended up at Navy Pier.  Long ago it had been used as housing for several regiments of soldiers during World War I and during World War II, the US Navy took occupancy of the longest public pier in the world, and turned it into the largest training facility. Having two members of the current Navy on it echoed past memories.</p><p>The cold air intensified as the damp air from Lake Michigan and made it even colder, but the sights of the frozen wave which had formed from the Polar vortex that happened a couple of weeks ago were a sight like no other. </p><p>"It's beautiful." Kaidan squinted. "Those waves look like they're frozen in place."</p><p>"Considering how cold it was and still is, it probably did." Jane took a large drink of her hot peppermint mocha. Even through her thick, Navy issued gloves, her hands thawed under the heat of the cup. The ancient water cruise ships and yacht  were frozen in place, trapped and not taking passengers.  "I wouldn't want to be those boat owners. Not sure if it being frozen like that is good for the hulls."</p><p>"Probably not, although they're not making money tonight. NO one in their right mind would be out on the lake like a night like this."</p><p>"Says the man who is out on the lake on a night like this."</p><p>"Are we really that far out on the lake?"</p><p>"Yea, doesn't seem like it is, does it? The scale of this place is mind blowing, but you should see the stations out there in the black. They're insane."</p><p>"I can't wait to see them." He took a look at his omni-tool. "Almost midnight."</p><p>She stopped and he stepped in front of her, not giving her much time to stop before she collided with him. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other. She held up her omni-tool to count down with the timer. She counted down in her mother's native tongue. A language she had insisted she learn as a child. She wasn't completely fluent though. "A c<span>úig, a ceathrar, a trí, </span><span>a dó, a haon."</span></p><p>
  <span>Promptly at midnight, he leaned in and kissed her. With his lips still locked, the annual New Years fireworks shot off into the night sky.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>"This ceremony will allow you..." The high priest began.</p><p>"Question."</p><p>"Yes, young Vakarian."</p><p>"Does everyone have a bond mate or are there some that don't?"</p><p>"All those who are called her to the temple do. Those who don't often choose to become one of us in the brother or sister hood."</p><p>"And how do you know who does?"</p><p>"Seriously, Garrus. He's a priest. He's called by the spirits to do this. I'm sure they get a vision or something." Solana rolled her eyes. "Can we get back to the ceremony, please?"</p><p>"Yes, let's proceed." The priest put his hands back up in the air. "This ceremony will allow you..."</p><p>"One more question." Garrus held up his talon, stopping the ceremony again.</p><p>"For spirit's sake, Garrus." Solana growled.</p><p>"Yes, young Vakarian."</p><p>"How will we know it's them after the ceremony is over? Mom mentioned we will be seeing though their eyes, so to speak, but we cannot speak or see into reflective surfaces."</p><p>"You should be able to see their world around them. They'll probably have something with their name on it."</p><p>"What if I can't read it?"</p><p>"What do you mean you can't read it?" Solana eyed her thick headed brother. "Of course you'll be able to read it."</p><p>"But what if our bond mates aren't Turian. It's a large galaxy. If they're not Turian or don't know Turian, we probably won't be able to read their native language."</p><p>The priest groaned at this. "There are more ways to figure out who it is rather than just reading a name. You will mainly be an observer. If you focus enough you may be able to manipulate objects, but that won't happen very often. Do you have anything else you wish to ask?"</p><p>"No, I'm good."</p><p>"For sure this time?" Garrus didn't miss the annoyance in his little sister's voice. </p><p>"Yea, I'm good."</p><p>"Alright, back to it then." The priest took his position for the third time. "This ceremony will allow you..."</p><p>Solana glared at her brother, daring him to interrupt him again.</p><p>"...will allow you to peer into the future. While you don't actually go into the future, the spirit will guide you to your bond mate. To see what they see. To touch what they touch. To smell their smells. For a brief moment, you will be as one, as you will one day be."</p><p>The priest lowered his arms the gestured to the globe in the center of the room. Garrus laid his talons on it, tentatively. He was filled with a warmth which only grew in intensity. Sweat beaded on his brow as he tried to pull away from the device, but it restrained him to it. Suddenly, his vision faded into a white, then suddenly black.</p><p>Solana caught her brother's fall, just in time to keep his crest from hitting the floor. The attendant, who had been ghosting their presence until just now, collected him from the floor.</p><p>"Thank you, Solana, for bringing him here. I doubt he would have under his own accord. I know this means so much to your mother." He nodded his head to indicated she needed to follow her brother.</p><p>"No problem."</p><p>"I'm just sorry your name didn't show. You'd make someone a very excellent bond mate."</p><p>"Oh, I'll be seeing you next year. He was born yesterday. Today is my birthday."</p><p>"I'm sorry you had to spend it hauling him all the way here." He frowned as he reached the bed where the attendants laid the male Vakarian child. Once the attendants finished tending to him, Torak held his hands over Garrus to finish. "In the New Year, following your 22nd year, the same amount of days you shall receive to see through the eyes o the one who who will hold you dear."</p><p> </p><p>***</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know a little Irish. I wish I knew it more fluently.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Strange Feeling Inside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blackness. That was all he could see at first. Perhaps they were asleep? Yes. That was it.</p>
<p>Now what? How was he suppose to do this? What was he suppose to do now? How was he suppose to fill this time? Before he could answer, an alarm went of and there was a groan. The alarm continued and the more it did, the more it aggravated the person became. When the final groan came, the loud and very distinct sound of something hitting a wall and breaking roused the person in question. </p>
<p>"Definitely not a morning person." He thought. </p>
<p>When they finally opened their eyes, the unmistakable military, on-base housing came. Stark, white impersonal walls with nothing on them. Standard cookie cutter and efficient design.  Whoever it was, they were military. "Probably still in academy training," he thought, not really all that surprised they were. Conscription was mandatory in Turian society. </p>
<p>It was then he got his first clues. They sat up and wiped their eyes. Two mounds appeared on their chest. Definitely female, but it was the hands which surprised him. The very pale, ivory skin covered a hand with way too many fingers. He took a moment to count them. One, two, three, four, five. </p>
<p>To his recollection there were very few species colored like this with THAT many fingers. Salarians could have that color but not enough fingers. Asari had that many fingers, but her hands were not pigmented with blue. </p>
<p>Human.</p>
<p>The Relay 314 incident hadn't been all that long ago. The three month long conflict happened when he was only a year old, but it's affects still shaped opinions between the Human and Turian races.</p>
<p>A name. He needed a name. Or at least a hint of one.</p>
<p>Thankfully, she went to her closet and pulled out what was definitely a military uniform. The navy blue accented with gold trim was classy and had to be a dress uniform. He doubted the Human military dressed that well on the daily. He looked for a nametag, but he didn't see one. Not that he would have been able to read it, he supposed. She went through the ritual of dressing, then ran a tooth instrument next to her head. He had seen the odd Human fringe they called hair. Evolution on their planet must had decided to make their head coverings more complicated than what it should be. When she pulled the brush, there were copper strands; fire red like those camp fires his father use to produce on their family annual holiday. He briefly wondered if that hair color was clue enough. It was a rare color among Humans. Surely it was enough, right?</p>
<p>Then his vision suddenly went black. What the Spirit's name was going on?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Jane Shepard grunted and groaned. One day she was going to break that thing. She tried rolling over to ignore the alarm and fall back to sleep. When the alarm persisted, she made true to her threat and threw the device across the room and a satisfying crash came with the alarm suddenly stopping. Knowing she wasn't going to get back to sleep, she ight as well get up. There was a meeting with her commanding officer and there was no way she was going to miss it. It was in regard to her application to the N7 program. The next admission training was immanent and there was no way she was missing this chance. Not like last year when she was held up in the infirmary with injuries from a Mako training accident. No one bothered to tell her that mountains weren't short cuts.</p>
<p>After dressing and grooming, a pair of hands came from behind. "Guess who?"</p>
<p>"Considering how few people who know the combination to get into this apartment; a Human male that's about to get their fingers broken." She teased.</p>
<p>"Hey now!" Kaidan pulled his fingers away. He noted her dress blues. "Some you know getting married or something?"</p>
<p>"Neither. N7 meeting with Hackett." She cringed, her head starting to pound suddenly, "Dear, Lord."</p>
<p>"Hangover?" He asked as she turned around. </p>
<p>"Must be, although I don't remember drinking that much." She went to her first aid kit, inside her side table drawer, and pulled out some pain medication. "I usually don't drink enough to get one."</p>
<p>"You really didn't drink ore than you normally do either." She turned to face him again once she finished taking her medication. "Promise me you'll go to the infirmary if it gets worse?" </p>
<p>"Even if I do, I still need to go to that meeting. I'm not going to miss my chance this year."</p>
<p>"You'll get in. Hackett would be an idiot if he didn't let you in."</p>
<p>"Besides, it's probably just from the alarm."</p>
<p>Kaidan scanned her bedside. Not seeing it, he scanned the room to locate it.  What he found was a pile of pieces against the wall. "What did the alarm do to you?"</p>
<p>"It woke me up."</p>
<p>"Right." He shook his head as he began to pick the pieces up. "You do realize this is what it's suppose to do, right?"</p>
<p>"Lies." She laughed and crouched down to help. </p>
<p>Once she did, he placed his hand on hers, "I'm serious, Jane. Hackett would be a fool not to let you in."</p>
<p>"It took my father several attempts to get in."</p>
<p>"Yea, but he's not you." He stopped and looked into her emerald green eyes. "You'll get it. I know it."</p>
<p>"Probably." She nodded, knowing this meeting would mean more than just being shipped somewhere. If she got in, she wouldn't be able to communicate with anyone for a long time. If she got in, she'd have to leave at a moments notice. She wouldn't be allowed to share her location and what little communications she was allowed was recorded.</p>
<p>If she got in the N7 program, she would have to break up with him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Passage of Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Steven Hackett thinks back on the life of the N7 candidate Jane Hannah Shepard.</p><p>Trigger Warnings:<br/>*Car accident<br/>*Death<br/></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 6 is giving me a hard time. Not sure why. I actually plotted things through for a change...maybe that's it. I'm usually a pantser, not a plotter. Next chapter (Chapter 5) is going to change the rating. It will be the first explicit chapter I've written. not sure how that's going to go, but we'll see. Hope it's not too terrible. Going to try to keep the Explicit chapters (and I will try to remember to mark them) separate from the rest of the story. Just incase there are some who don't want to read that sort of thing. They really won't contain plot. Just smut. XD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The old, wooden grandfather clock ticked the seconds away as he waiting for his next interview. The black walnut time keeper once belonged to his very great grandfather who had at one time been a clock maker in the Bavarian region of Germany before he immigrated to the United States of America. </p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>He took a moment to review the application before him. Jane Shepard. The girl may had been born on Earth, on a Alliance Military Training Base in Chicago, but she was a true spacer and military brat. He scrolled down the long list of known residences she had racked up. At least the Alliance did a semi-decent job of trying to keep families together when it came to assignments than previous military services.</p><p>She had more points than most soldiers did in the gun range. It was no doubt part that was because of the pre-boot camp training her parents insisted on and probably trained her themselves. The woman was a sniper, preferring the precision of long range kill rather than closer combat. Not that she couldn't handle herself in CQC, though. She could hold her own, but it was the calibrated and sharp eye of a long ranged kill which she was especially gifted at. More than likely inherited that from her mother.</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>The Captains Shepard had been an asset during the First Contact war. Jane's mother took a more active Captaincy and had taken command of a ship during the First Contact War, while her father worked more behind the scenes due to three-year-old Jane's need for a more stable home life. The engineer was assisting in the development in stealth technology for their ship and they were getting close before the war. Somehow, the bureaucrats decided in their infinite wisdom the Captains needed to share a command of their vessel. It was probably a clerical error, but the team of Shepherds commanded the ship. Having no extended family to assist with care, Jane made her way aboard the ship and promptly became the ship's most loved member. Which also contributed to the quality of Lieutenant's enlistment training. </p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>Jane was actually one half of a set a fraternal twins. Her brother, being merely minutes later, was often bossed around by his older sister. Her mother had joked him once in a com she had with him that it was proof she was showing leadership potential even back then.  He smiled at the memory of seeing it for his own eyes once. There was a charisma about her which would make her an effective leader.</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>The happy family ended one fateful night. A vacation to the citadel was suppose to be pleasant and full of happy memories. Instead, it was of tragedy. A sky car with faulty wiring slammed into the car containing the Shepard family at full speed, t-boning it and it spun into a sushi joint. Jane's twin, John, was seated directly at the site of impact and her father in front of him. John died instantly. Captain James Shepard died months later when Hannah made the heartbreaking decision and pulled her husband from life support. He was brain dead and there wasn't going to come back. </p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>"God, Jane's identical to her mother." Hackett thought as he looked back at the updated image of the surviving Shepard child. From her hair color to the impish glint in her emerald eyes. Eyes mimicking the ones he had once fallen in love with. The ones, he would only admit to himself, he still had feelings for. Direct Superior/ Subordinate relationships aboard the same vessel were frowned on especially after the Shepard mix-up. Fraternization even more so. He could only love her from the shadows. He couldn't be with her in the way he wanted, but he did have the power to keep her safe. </p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tick-Tock</em>
</p><p>His finger was just above the intercom button to call to his secretary, to find out if Jane was in the outer office when a knock rapped on the door. "Enter."</p><p>In stepped his interviewee. The admiral glanced at the clock. Precision and punctuality must have been a genetic trait with the females of their family. She stood at attention and waited for his acknowledgement once the Lieutenant Commander reached his desk. </p><p>"At ease, before you sprain something." Admiral Hackett chuckled as he gestured to the dark blue arm chair in front of him.</p><p>"Yes, sir." She acknowledged as she sat down on the chair provided. After adjusting her self, she placed her hat on her lap. "You wanted to see me?"</p><p>"Yes. I needed to do a brief interview with you as a formality for your N7 training application."</p><p>"Yes, sir."</p><p>"I need to mention this interview is going to be recorded." He pushed the button on his omni tool to begin his recording. "Ready?"</p><p>"I am if you are, sir."</p><p>Hackett chuckled. "Shepard, you can speak freely."</p><p>"Yes, sir."</p><p>"Just to confirm, you are Lieutenant Commander Jane Hannah Shepard. Service number 5923-AC-2826."</p><p>"Correct."</p><p>"Born April 11, 2154 at the Great Lakes Navel Station in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Earth?"</p><p>"North Chicago, sir."</p><p>He looked down at the records, noting his misread. "You're right. Thank you for the correction."</p><p>She nodded. </p><p>"I want to make sure you want to get into this program for the right reasons, Commander, and just because we're having this conversation doesn't mean you've been selected."</p><p>"If I'm not at least being considered for this training, we wouldn't be having this conversation, with all do respect."</p><p>"Fair."</p><p>"And I'm not sure I understand by "What you're getting yourself into" bit."</p><p>"I'm making sure you're not going to go into the program just for the glamor of it."</p><p>"I don't think crawling in mud is glamorous despite what most spas tell you. I doubt that is the type of mud mask that they're expecting in training. It's part of the training, I've seen my father's obstacle course during his training camp days. I'm not beyond getting dirty."</p><p>"That's right, your father was a N7 wasn't he.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"If you wanted to follow in his footsteps, Shepard, you could have chosen to be an engineer. God knows he was good at it."</p><p>"It's not my only reason, but it does bias it. It's not his influence that completely makes me want to get in." She stared at him and despite him outranking her by several ranks, her expression commanded respect. "This is what I'm meant to do. The military is my life. I live it. I breathe it. It is the only thing I've ever wanted to do with my life. My service record alone is proof that I'm capable of handling it, sir. I want to serve my people the best way I can and it's by doing what I love. I was breed to do it."</p><p>"You certainly were that. I just can't believe your weapons range skill record. Especially with the rifles. That's very impressive. You have a definite sniper's eye, Shepard."</p><p>"I've been handling guns pretty much my entire life. I've had a lot of practice. I came in with a significant advantage." She admitted, with reminiscent smirk. "It's how I earned my nickname."</p><p>"Hawkeye?"</p><p>"Yes, sir."</p><p>"Fitting." He sat back in his chair. "I know you are involved with a few activities on base. You think you can leave at a moments notice? You may be required to do that while in training. The record is a matter of two hours."</p><p>"I'll do it in one and a half. It will depend on how quickly the paperwork gets here."</p><p>"Alright." Hackett closed the Omni-tool and stopped recording. "Off the record?"</p><p>"Yes, sir?"</p><p>"Be prepared to leave. If I have it my way, your orders will be in your mailbox at 0900." When he stood, she did the same. He offered his hand and she shoot it. "Get going, Shepard. Give 'em hell."</p><p>"Yes, sir." She smiled then snapped to attention and saluted, before she turned to leave.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p> Jane Hannah Shepard. The name was awkward in Garrus' mind.  He played it over and over to memorize the foreign words on his, for the moment metaphoric lips. The last 22 days had flown by. You learn a lot about a person just by observing what they were doing whether the actions were conscious or not. </p><p>She took her milk and sugar with a coffee bean waved over it; if he understood what her unit members said. He discovered she was arachnophobe and wasn't exactly fond of medical bays. She had broken her toe by dropping a heavy plate on her foot back when she was in basic when it had been her turn to wash the dishes in her apartment. It promptly broke and it was her most embarrassing injury to date. </p><p>He thought back to her most recent trip to the firing range. If she had just pointed her rifle 10 degrees to the left, she would have hit the target the first time. Her squamates called her "Hawkeye". A fitting nickname for someone with that short of vision; however, he made a mental note to buy her a visor at some point. He was going to have to find a good excuse, of course. A good one with a proper targeting scanner to compensate for her "flaw".</p><p>Then there was the really odd thing she did. She wrote in a book. An actual paper and pen book. She dated each of the entry and he could only assume it was some sort of daily log. The first time he wrote in it, he felt like he was intruding on something private. Then he noticed her writings weren't written in the Human tongue. Perhaps some sort of cypher? It read like a bunch of curves and squiggles. </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Ceadaíodh dom oiliúint N7 inniu. Bhuel, gan a bheith ceadaithe go hiomlán.  Beidh orm a chroí a bhriseadh.<br/>Sin an fáth nach raibh mé ag iarraidh caidreamh a dhéanamh leis sa chéad áit in ainneoin na mothúchán a bhí agam dó.<br/>Níl aon bhealach ann go mbeimis in ann leanúint ar aghaidh lenár gcaidreamh agus mé ag traenáil. Tost cumarsáide don<br/>chéad chúpla mí ansin beagnach dhá bhliain de mhisin ghníomhacha agus oiliúint sular féidir liom smaoineamh ar mo<br/>thástáil dheiridh fiú. Tá gráin aige orm is cuma. B’fhearr liom deireadh a chur leis sula n-imeoidh mé air ná<br/>n’fheadar an bhfuil mé fós beo.</p>
</blockquote><p>Seeing her write in this native-to-her language gave him an idea. He concentrated hard and took control of her movement. He needed to write to her in his own tongue and in a place she would find later. He skipped to the back cover page and wrote. Once he was done, he made a few orders via her omni-tool for when she woke the following morning.</p><p>***</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>In case you were curious as to what Jane's entry read in English from Irish:</p><p>"I was approved for N7 training today. Well, not completely approved.  I'm going to have to break his heart. This is why I didn't want to get into a relationship with him in the first place despite my feelings for him.  There is no way we'd be able to continue our relationship while I'm in training. Communications silence for the first several months then almost two years of active missions and training before I can even think of my final testing. He's going to hate me regardless. I'd rather end it before I go than him wonder if I'm still alive."</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Other prompts and ideas which inspired this story:<br/>*Eve of Saint Agnes</p><p>*Feast day of Saint Agnes</p><p>other notes:<br/>*According to the wiki, Garrus Vakarian is 2-4 years younger than Shepard.</p><p>*Galactic Standard New Year because well, it's hard to regulate New Years on a crapton of planets. Palaven's year is 1.2 of Earth's year.</p><p>*Since the Turians are inspired a bit by the centurions of ancient Rome, I decided to use a bit of Latin as a general translation. Not exact, mind you, but you may be able to understand the sentiment google translate. However, I do plan on translating "Palaven" for you because I'm a sucker for a man speaking another language troupe. :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
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